Where does “mouthful” come from?
Mouthful derives from Middle English -ful and Old English -ful combined with Proto-Germanic munþaz, which traces to Proto-Indo-European men- and ultimately pleh₁-, meaning to fill or be full.
mouthful (English): The amount that will fit in a mouth; Quite a bit;...
Definitions
- The amount that will fit in a mouth; Quite a bit;...
Ancestry of “mouthful”, step by step
mouthful traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mouth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mouth | The opening of a creature through which food is... |
| 2 | Middle English | mouþ | Alternative form of mouth |
| 3 | Old English | mūþ | mouth, opening, door, gate |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *munþ | mouth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | munþaz | mouth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via Middle English mouthful
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | mouthful | — |